The 6 Major Label Albums of Stoney Edwards Finally Reissued

On April 5th, Saving Country Music honored pioneering country artist Stoney Edwards on the 25th Anniversary of his passing, concluding in part, “His music should also be repopulated here in the digital age so that future generations can enjoy this pioneering country artist.” Little did we know that less than three months later, this often difficult feat in the music industry would actually transpire.
In honor of Black Music Month, UMG Nashville/UMe has officially digitally reissued all six of the major label albums from Stoney Edwards recorded originally for Capitol Records in Los Angeles from 1971 to 1976. The albums Down Home In The Country, A Country Singer, Stoney Edwards, She’s My Rock, Mississippi You’re On My Mind and Blackbird have also been digitally remastered from the original analog tapes.
Though country music is regularly portrayed as having only one Black performer in Charley Pride throughout the 70s and into the 2000s, this characterization completely overlooks the contributions of Ray Charles, and Stoney Edwards. Stoney had a couple of Top 20 hits, including “She’s My Rock” in 1972, which was later covered by George Jones, as well as “Mississippi You’re On My Mind” in 1975, and a Top 40 hit with the song “Hank and Lefty Raised My Country Soul,” which went on to be sung by Moe Bandy, Emmylou Harris, and others.
While working day shifts, Stoney Edwards started his career by singing in the bars and honky tonks of central and Northern California at night. His name got changed from “Frenchy” to “Stoney” when a drunk patron hollered out, “I’m stoned, and he probably is, too!” The nickname stuck, and so did Stoney with trying to keep a moonlighting career in music going until it all almost ended in 1968.
In a harrowing accident, while working as forklift operator on an industrial site, Stoney Edwards was accidentally sealed in an air tight tank. By the time he was extracted, Stoney had suffered severe carbon dioxide blood poisoning. He spent the next two years going in and out of coma, and at one point was diagnosed as terminal.
Though Stoney could have claimed Social Security disability after the accident, he refused, and instead—unable to work general labor jobs anymore—decided to pour himself into music. But since this wasn’t paying the bills, he made the tough decision to leave his family so there would be one less mouth to feed, and they could declare welfare. As the story goes, while sneaking out of the house, he accidentally stepped on a toy from his daughter Janice. That became the inspiration for Stoney’s first single, “A Two Dollar Toy.”
Even as Stoney Edwards was struggling to support himself and his family, he still took time to engage in charity himself, and this is what ultimately led to his country music career. Hearing that his hero Bob Wills was ailing, Stoney Edwards organized a benefit for him in 1970. At that benefit, he got the attention of a lawyer named Ray Sweeney who happened to have connections at Capitol Records in Los Angeles, who happened to be looking for their own Black country star in the wake of the overwhelming success of Charley Pride. Stoney Edwards was then paired with the Bob Wills-inspired Asleep At The Wheel and Ray Benson as his backing band, who were more than happy to work with Stoney.
Stoney’s career may have not been Hall of Fame worthy, but releasing six albums on a major country music label, and scoring Top 20 hits dispels the idea that the contributions of black artists in country music were resigned to just one individual. And perhaps Stoney could have been more successful if he was discovered before he was in his 40s, and not suffered so many health issues.
The reissuing of the six major label albums from Stoney Edwards is a big moment in helping to revitalize the legacy of this important country artist. They are available now on all digital platforms.
June 27, 2022 @ 8:08 am
Like the Roger Miller albums finally getting digitally released this summer, these are immediately going into my library. Long live country music.
June 27, 2022 @ 8:48 am
Ive got an original Lp of ” A Country Singer”, signed by Stoney. I love to put it on for unsuspecting folks and ask if they know who it is. A lot of people guess Haggard, based on a similar singing style. Stoneys been dead awhile, but still impressing everyone who hears him! On a side note, the Ray Benson autobiography Comin’ at Ya, documents some of Rays remembrances touring with Stoney. According to Ray, Stoney used a Winnebago Rv to tour around in. Stoney always drove, and Ray and the boys would sit in the back, windows open , smoking various herbal substances, while Stoney drove blissfully unaware!
Good on Capitol for bringing these albums back.
June 27, 2022 @ 8:57 am
Definetly cool. Some of the lesser-known artists had very enjoyable albums especially when the steel player got to step outside of the normal restraints of studio work, and lay down some really cool playing
June 27, 2022 @ 9:13 am
Stoney has an amazing voice, somewhere between Charley Pride and Ed Bruce
June 27, 2022 @ 9:58 am
What a disgrace. Stoney is one of the most underrated C(c)ountry singers of all time. He deserves better than a race-based release. Disgusting.
June 27, 2022 @ 10:02 am
Would think if you think he one of the most underrated country singers of all time you’d be happy his music is being reissued regardless of the circumstance. If Black Music Month was the impetus to finally get it done, so be it. Focus on the outcome.
June 27, 2022 @ 10:16 am
He deserves better than to be used by Pasty-Whites as a race token.
The “outcome” is that an all-time great vocalist is being given attention for his race, as opposed to his talent. This isn’t a love-of-C(c)ountry-music based decision. It’s a look-how-benevolent-we-can-be-to-our-perceived-inferiors decision. It’s so freaking demeaning to Stoney and his family.
“Good thing Stoney was black, because we don’t like his music enough to have done this otherwise.”
June 28, 2022 @ 3:56 pm
Businesses care about money and reputation. If they think they might make more money or score points with some group by releasing albums from an obscure artist during a time designated for the celebration of people from a similar cultural background then that’s what they’ll do. No one at the record company besides maybe their social media spokesperson cares at all about Stoney being Black or Patrick Haggerty being gay or Johnny Rodriguez being Hispanic other than as a marketing data point.
Now you may be correctly describing the attitudes of some journalists, online influencers and other people who trade in a mixture of legitimate news and misinformation flavored with outrage but that’s not the record company, that’s a good chunk of their target audience. I doubt anyone at UMG is thinking in such paternalist terms, not because they’re not capable of it, but because it wouldn’t even have occured to them to view it that way when to them it’s all about selling a product when it’s hot. Or getting good PR when it’s available, whichever.
June 27, 2022 @ 10:48 am
Stoney is amazing. Great that he is getting some much over due recognition.
Another great example of a black country artist is Otis Williams. Although he didn’t make a career out of it, The Temptations founding member was from Texarkana and has a really good country record as well – Otis Williams and the Midnight Cowboys.
June 27, 2022 @ 12:19 pm
Wonderful news! I first read about Stoney in Peter Guralnick’s classic “Lost Highway” collection, then splurged on a copy of the out-of-print “Poor Folks Stick Together” CD compilation after reading the April piece here on SCM. Can’t wait to delve into the complete catalog!
June 28, 2022 @ 5:16 am
King Honky
I get where you are coming from. Personally, im finding that in the real world out here, people are tired of the media beating the race drum all the time. I dont think most people like being stereotyped and thrown in boxes to categorize them.. ie: you are this color and sex, so you fit here, and you best learn to accept that…or else!
As for Stoney, i cant imagine his family being unhappy to get some royalty money from these reissues. Ultimately, reissuing albums like these is a win for Country fans. Regardless of marketing, i think most people who will purchase these albums will do it for the love of music. I personally dont know anyone who chooses their music
based on superficial factors like this. Most people i know, choose music based on what moves them. And though the media and big corporations may think they influence everyone, ultimately many of us cant be bothered enough to care.
June 28, 2022 @ 8:03 am
Hey Trigger, sorry to be off topic but not sure where else to comment. I just saw Bobby Flores passed away a few days ago and no one has commented on it yet. I’m sure you already knew but I think some of the readers would be interested to know also.
June 28, 2022 @ 8:16 am
I didn’t see this news until this morning. But I’ve been on the road since this morning. Surprised by the lack of reporting on it, but I’m working on something now.
June 28, 2022 @ 8:21 am
Great, I understand you’re a busy man. I was surprised by the lack of news also, that’s why I’d thought I’d give it a mention.
June 28, 2022 @ 10:59 am
It seems the re-releases are digital only? If so, a shame.
June 28, 2022 @ 11:02 pm
This is the best news of 2022 so far.
David B
July 1, 2022 @ 10:43 pm
Glad Stoney has been recognized here and by the re-issues. Hopefully the trend will continue to re-issue the work of some of the more obscure, but definitely talented singers. I really enjoy his tribute to Hank and Lefty on one of his more played records of the seventies.